At a Utah Independence Day celebration, fireworks accidentally went off, hurting a number of individuals in the audience.
As part of Provo, Utah’s annual Freedom Festival, the event occurred during the opening ceremony for the Stadium of Fire Fourth of July extravaganza at the LaVell Edwards Stadium. The Brigham Young University (BYU) football team plays its home games in the 63,000-capacity stadium.
During the packed Utah football stadium on July 4th, malfunctioning pyrotechnics shot into the stands, hitting audience members and sending up to six people to the hospital, as reported by officials and the event organizer.
Freedom Festival spokeswoman Emory Cook said on Friday that the performances were halted for around fifteen minutes so that those in the crowd who were hurt could get medical treatment.
Approximately six individuals were sent to the hospital, with one suffering from a critical injury. Cook clarified that he was unaware of the extent of the other injuries or the exact count of those hit by the pyrotechnics.
Social media videos show pyrotechnics that broke away from their original cluster and landed amid the outdoor arena’s rows of spectators. According to Cook, the sold-out event drew over 45,000 spectators.
According to Cook, the cause of the malfunction is still being investigated, adding that the fireworks were all set up correctly in the days leading up to the event, and the authorities had already checked and given their stamp of approval before the show.
Spectator Teresa Jack of Provo, Utah, watched what seemed like a bomb going off as a rocket soared above her head and into the east bleachers of the stadium before exploding and sending a massive plume of smoke billowing into the air.
Members of the audience began yelling, “Stop the show,” and waving to alert authorities that there were injuries.
According to BYU police department spokesman Karen Ellingson, the concert, which included the Jonas Brothers, was allowed to proceed after the Provo fire marshal had reviewed the fireworks following the mishap.
According to Cook, the pyrotechnics utilized in the show’s finale are far larger than the malfunctioning explosives that occurred inside the stadium. He claimed that the stadium is not responsible for housing the larger fireworks.
